DABS - Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale Reliability/Validity

2015

The Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS; Tasse, Schalock, Balboni, Bersani, Borthwick-Duffy, Spreat, Thissen, Widaman, & Zhang, in preparation) is an individually administered standardized measure of adaptive behavior. For the purpose of this assessment instrument, adaptive behavior is defined as the collection of conceptual, social, and practical skills that have been learned and are performed by people in their everyday lives (Schalock et al., 2010). The DABS was developed to be administered via interview to the parent, caregiver, teacher, or other respondent who know the person whose adaptive behavior is being assessed. The primary purpose of the DABS is diagnostic and was standardized to assess the adaptive behavior of persons between the ages of 4 and 21 years old, inclusively. The DABS was developed to provide diagnostic information around the point where an individual presents significant limitations in adaptive behavior. A significant limitation in adaptive behavior is one of the three criteria for a diagnosis of intellectual disability (the other two being significant limitations in intellectual functioning and age of onset before 18 years). The DABS is intended to examine adaptive skills across different age ranges that most often distinguish between persons who do and do not have an intellectual disability (ID). This project is focused on a study of the psychometric properties of the Diagnostic Adaptive Behavior Scale (DABS).

Adaptive Behavior, Assessment Instrument, Intellectual Disability

Performing Research or Evaluation

Education & Early Intervention, Health-Related Activities

Professionals and Para-Professionals, Adults with Disabilities, Children/Adolescents with Disabilities/SHCN

None

National

N/A